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Jon Lester
Jonathan Tyler "Jon" Lester (born January 7, 1984) is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). Less than two years after being diagnosed with lymphoma, Lester started and won the final game of the 2007 World Series, and in May 2008, pitched a no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals. The Red Sox drafted Lester in the second round (No. 57 overall) of the 2002 draft and gave him the highest signing bonus of any second-rounder that year, $1 million. Lester quickly moved through the Red Sox organization, posting an 11–6 record, a league-leading 2.61 ERA and a league-best 163 strikeouts for the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs in 2005. He was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Year and Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year and was selected as the left-handed pitcher on the Eastern League's year-end All-Star team and on the year-end Topps Double-A All-Star squad. Lester was one of the Red Sox' top-rated prospects while in the minors, and other major league teams made efforts to acquire him. The Texas Rangers had demanded Lester be part of the proposed but ultimately rejected deal before the 2004 season for Alex Rodriguez. The Florida Marlins insisted he be included in the trade for Josh Beckett before the 2006 season, but again, the Sox were able to keep Lester. 2006 With a rash of injuries and general ineffectiveness of several Red Sox starters, the team recalled Lester on June 10 to make his major league debut against the Texas Rangers. He put up a 4.76 ERA in 81.1 innings pitched in his rookie year. Lester was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a treatable cancer, in the middle of the season (see Lymphoma diagnosis and comeback for more details). He finished the season with a 7–2 record. 2007 Lester before the Game 4 of the 2007 World Series. Following the successful treatment of his lymphoma, Lester was able to return to the Red Sox midway through the season. In the 2007 World Series, Lester won the series-clinching Game Four for the Red Sox, pitching 5⅔ shutout innings, giving up three hits and three walks while collecting three strikeouts. Lester became the third pitcher in World Series history to win a series clinching game in his first post-season start. Rumors swirled again in the 2007 offseason when the Minnesota Twins were looking to trade ace Johan Santana. The Red Sox proposed multiple offers to the Twins for Santana — including one package that would have traded Lester and other prospects — but the Twins ultimately dealt Santana to the New York Mets, keeping Lester in Boston. 2008 In 2008, Lester went 16–6 with a 3.21 ERA. Along with his no-hitter, he pitched a five-hit shutout in his first start at Yankee Stadium. He was named the AL Pitcher of the Month in July and September. Lester was also a key figure in the Red Sox' victory over the Angels in the American League Divisional Series, pitching 14 innings without allowing an earned run. Lester had the second highest winning percentage of all starting pitchers over the last three years (27–8, .771), and led the Red Sox in innings pitched in 2008 with 210.3. Lester's losses in Games 3 and 7 of the 2008 ALCS were the first losses he had ever had in consecutive starts. 2009 On March 8, Lester agreed to a five-year, $30 million contract extension with a $14 million team option in 2014. On June 6, Lester made his bid for a second no-hitter against the AL West-leading Texas Rangers at Fenway. He pitched 6⅓ perfect innings, striking out 10 batters, on 61 pitches through the first six innings. Michael Young hit a one-out double to left center field in the seventh inning to break up the no-hitter, but Lester pitched a complete game, striking out a total of 11 batters, giving him 23 Ks in two starts (he had a career-best 12 Ks his previous start). On August 14, Lester struck out ten batters for the sixth time in the 2009 season, the most times ever by a Red Sox lefty. 2010 In 2010 Lester won his final start in April, then won five of the six games he started in May. Lester went 5–0 with a 1.84 ERA and 45 strikeouts and was named the American League Pitcher of the Month, winning the award for the third time. On June 16 he got his 50th career win, against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Lester was selected to the American League All-Star team on July 1, this was his first selection. At the time of the break he was 11–3 with a 2.78 ERA and 124 strikeouts. He pitched the sixth inning for the AL allowing no baserunners. On July 25 he took a perfect game into the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners but lost it in that inning due to an error made by Eric Patterson. A home run by Michael Saunders broke up the no hit bid. The Red Sox eventually lost the game. The loss was the second of four losses in a row Lester took after the All-Star break; this was the first time he lost consecutive decisions in his career. He would eventually turn it around throwing 6 shutout innings against the Yankees and then 8 shutout innings, despite feeling sick, against the Rangers. Lester finished the season strong but fell just short of 20 wins. Lester finished the season T-4th in Wins (19) and in 4th place in strikeouts (225) in the Majors (AL and NL combined) in 2010. He finished 25th in the Major Leagues with a 3.25 E.R.A. in an excellent year for pitchers. 2011 In 2011, Lester was the opening day starter for the Red Sox, on the road against Texas. He had a solid season, leading Boston's rotation in wins for the second year in a row and strikeouts for the third year in a row. He was named to the American League All-Star team, replacing Felix Hernandez, but did not pitch due to a lat injury. Lester struggled along with the rest of the team, losing his last three decisions, including giving up eight runs in a start against the New York Yankees. He pitched the season finale against the Baltimore Orioles, pitching six innings and giving up just two runs. The bullpen was unable to hold onto the lead, and the Red Sox were eliminated. Lester finished the season 15–9 with a 3.41 ERA. He finished in the top 20 in strikeouts (11th), wins (10th) and ERA (17th). 2012 In 2012, Lester was again the opening day starter for the Red Sox. Lester's season was very disappointing, posting a 9-14 record, a sub-par 4.82 ERA, and a .273 batting average against. 2013 On May 10, 2013, Lester threw a complete game one-hitter, with 0 walks, against the Toronto Blue Jays, facing only 28 batters. Cy Young still remains as the last pitcher to throw a Perfect Game with the Red Sox, back in 1904. On October 3, 2013, Lester was named as the starting pitcher for the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays in the Red Sox first return to the postseason since 2009. The following day, Game 1 of the ALDS took place at Fenway Park with Lester pitching 7 2/3 innings with 3 walks and striking out seven and the Red Sox winning 12-2 (and winning the series 3-1). Lester also tied Josh Beckett's Red Sox Postseason record of 4K's of the first four batters to begin the game. Lester started Game 1 of the ALCS against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park on October 12, 2013. He pitched 6.1 innings with 4 strikeouts and only giving up 1 run, but was outmatched by a 1 hit game put together by the Tiger pitching staff led by starter Anibal Sanchez. At Comerica Park on October 17, 2013, Lester again faced Sanchez in Game 5. The Red Sox won 4-3 with Lester pitching 5 innings and showing spectacular defensive skills in the 5th inning throwing out former teammate Jose Iglesias with a glove flip to first base on a bunt attempt. After the Red Sox victory in the ALCS, Lester was selected to start Game 1 of the 2013 World Series between the Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals. Lester pitched to a 8 to 1 victory over St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright. Lester then went on to a Game 5 win again over Wainwright giving the Red Sox a series lead of 3-2.